Daiichi Sankyo is facing rising litigation, as a new Benicar HCT lawsuit joins the multidistrict litigation (MDL). This claim will join a series of product liability lawsuits which were filed by patients who allegedly suffered adverse Benicar HCT side effects.

Arkansas plaintiff Iva M. was prescribed Benicar HCT on June 6, 2004 to treat high blood pressure and hypertension and to lower her chances of heart disease.

According to the lawsuit, it was not long after Iva had been prescribed the drug that she started suffering from Benicar side effects, including malnutrition, dehydration, sprue-like enteropathy, diarrhea, vomiting, and severe weight loss.

These symptoms eventually led her to be hospitalized, where it was discovered she was also suffering from villous atrophy, the lawsuit stated. Due to these alleged adverse Benicar side effects, Iva suffered severe permanent intestinal damage and will have to be monitored for malnutrition.

After learning that Benicar HCT may induce complications similar to those associated with Celiac disease, Iva opted to file legal action against Daiichi Sankyo. Nowhere on Benicar’s label did it indicate that Iva may suffer from sprue-like enteropahy or the other symptoms she suffered, the lawsuit alleged.

Iva is suing Daiichi Sankyo for allegedly selling and manufacturing an unreasonably dangerous drug. The charges in her Benicar HCT lawsuit include: negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

According to Iva’s Benicar HCT lawsuit, she is seeking product liability damages along with any other punitive damages relevant to her case. Her case will be joining other Benicar HCT lawsuits claiming similar damages and allegations.

Overview of Benicar HCT Complications

Benicar HCT was approved by the FDA in 2002 and has since become one of the most commonly prescribed hypertension medications in the United States.

Approximately 11 million prescriptions are written per year, with it being one of the most prescribed medications among the 67 million patients who suffer hypertension. The drug works by dilating the blood vessels, which decreases the stress on the heart.

A number of patients have complained of severe Benicar side effects, often pertaining to malnutrition and sprue-like enteropathy. In July 2013, the FDA had issued a drug safety warning regarding adverse Benicar side effects, after reviewing a troubling 2012 study from the Mayo Clinic.

The Mayo Clinic study found that a number of Benicar patients had been suffering from symptoms found in Celiac disease, but tested negative for the condition. The FDA stated that there was clear evidence linking Benicar to sprue-like enteropathy, and patients should consult their physicians as soon as possible if they have experienced such symptoms.

Benicar patients who suffered these complications may be eligible for legal action, and can contact a specialized attorney to provide a free case consultation.

This Benicar HCT Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-00513-RBK-JS and is part of the Benicar MDL  In re: Benicar (Olmesartan) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2606, in the U. S. District court of New Jersey, Camden Vicinage.